Steelers Keeping WR Martavis Bryant, Despite Trade Interest

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Steelers are not trading disgruntled WR Martavis Bryant ahead of today’s deadline, despite interest from other teams.

Pittsburgh plans to have Bryant back at practice on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Jeremy Fowler reported that the Steelers indicated to Bryant that he will be part of their Week 10 gameplan, even though he was inactive last weekend.

On Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that contending teams had been calling the Steelers about a potential trade for Bryant, but Pittsburgh had been resisting the overtures from teams, as they didn’t want to allow a player to force his way out of Pittsburgh.

Bryant previously told ESPN’s Josina Anderson (per Jeremy Fowler) that unless his role in the team’s offense changes, he wants out of Pittsburgh.

“I just want to be happy, whether it’s here or it’s somewhere else. I just want to help contribute,” Bryant said, per Anderson. “I just want to be the best player that I can be on and off the field…and I want to be given the chance to be that. If it ain’t here then, so be it, then it’ll be somewhere else. But, I would like for it to be here, but if not, then oh well. Just got to move on.”

A few weeks ago, Bryant reportedly requested a trade out of Pittsburgh, which led to all the trade rumors.

 

Bryant, 25, was selected by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. He’s currently in the third year of his four-year, $2.7 million rookie contract and stands to make a base salary of $690,000 for the 2017 season.

Bryant was suspended for the entire 2016 season for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy and returned to the team coming out of the preseason this year.

In 2017, Bryant appeared in five games for the Steelers and totaled 18 receptions, 234 receiving yards and one touchdown for the Steelers. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 84 receiver out of 115 qualifying players.